THE race which for the last three years has been run as the Paddy Power Gold Cup has been the star feature of Cheltenham's November meeting.

Relevant statistics for it go back 16 seasons, so we have plenty to work on.

Over that time all winners of the extended two and a half mile chase were nine or younger, so pencil through the vetetrans and they all had prevously won a chase over at least two mile six furlongs.

No fewer than 13 of the last 16 runners had prevously won over fences at the track.

Of the others, one had been runner-up in the Cathcart at the Festival and Our Vic was third in the Royal & SunAlliance Chase and fell when clear in the Bonusprint.com Gold Cup. The only other one was Senor El Betrutti who won this in 1997 when having his first look at Prestbury Park.

Although it is always competitive, the market often gets it right. Five favourites have won the last ten runnings, a #1 stake on all the market leaders over that time netting a profit of #12.75. The only shock winner being the previously-mentioned Senor El Betrutti, a 33-1 shot in 1997.

Rookie trainer David Pipe has some act to follow if he is to emulate his father's record.

Martin Pipe won the race seven times in the last ten years including five of last six runnings, the Nicky Henderson-trained Fondmort breaking the monopoly in 2003.

David Pipe had half a dozen entries before the final declartaion stage, running two, Tamarinbleu and Vodka Bleu.

Pipe snr rarely left much to chance in his attempt to capture the prize. Not only did he have the most winners, he also easily had most runners, sending out 23 to meet the starter over the decade, but a #1 bet on all his runners would still have netted a profit of #39.75.

In contrast to the Pipe family, Champion Trainer Paul Nicholls has sent out ten runners in the same time period, none of them successful but three were placed.

He relies on Taranis this time but the gelding has 11st 12lb to lug round, none of the last ten winners had over 11st9lb in the saddle, a stat which also rules out Pipe's Tamarinbleu.

That leaves us on VODKA BLEU who has not run since November 2004 but has been well-backed for this since Tuesday but is still worth getting on with 3pts win at the general 9-2.

Vodka Bleu is ridden by Timmy Murphy who has won the last two runnings of the Paddy Power, and is owned by David Johnson who has been presented with the trophy, not to mention the more-than-decent prize money, in six of the last ten years.